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This was not my first use of these boots, I’d been using them for about a year prior to this trip, I’d bought them as a winter boot for days out in the Lake District where I didn’t see the need for big traditional winter boots. They will take a lightweight micro crampon for traversing ice, they are waterproof and warm enough with mid-weight socks for everything I’d be doing during a Lake District winter walking season.

They proved an excellent choice, the Vibram sole gives good grip and has worn pretty well.

I chose these for the Tour of the Matterhorn principally because of the two glacier crossings and the need to carry ‘proper’ crampons for these sections of the route. The crampons I took, Petzl’s ultralight offering, performed well, with a bit of adjustment, when paired with the TX4s.

I see these TX4s as an excellent bridge between traditional heavy boots and UL hiking/running shoes. Very comfortable even with one pair of lightweight socks, a tough Vibram sole and a moderate stiffness just sufficient to bear lightweight crampons. I like the lacing system and the all-round rubber rand provides protection against sharp rocks and scuffs.

They were comfortable out of the box for me and have been fully waterproof since new. More recently though I have ended up with wet feet on very wet days – but in my experience, this is similar to other Gore-Tex boots in the lightweight category.

I would buy these for summer use if you didn’t want to go as far as our lightest walking shoes and prefer the support of a ‘mid’ boot and a stiffer sole and upper. I found these absolutely suitable for 3-season use and on low-level excursions in winter, for example I wouldn’t wear them in winter in the Scottish Highlands.

Tour of the Matterhorn – Trip Report

Mark Richardson
Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. Read more from Mark Richardson